


life begins (love never ends)

by thisissirius



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Language misunderstandings, M/M, Romance, School Outings, Slow Build, blood mentions, injuries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23300014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisissirius/pseuds/thisissirius
Summary: six times eddie sees them as a family and the one time buck feels confident enough to do the same.four;buck and eddie talk about marriagefive;maddie learns some things
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 353





	1. that's my family

**Author's Note:**

> buck week, everyone!
> 
> each chapter will be a different experience in their relationship, culminating in something awesome.

**.one**

Eddie couldn’t remember when he last had the day off with enough time around it to be able to help out with school trips. Christopher goes on plenty during the school year and it’s Carla taking him most of the time. For a couple of trips, Buck’s had the time off and offered to go. Christopher’s always been good enough to warrant that and Eddie’s never surprised when he is; Christopher would be a saint for Buck time. 

Not that Eddie was trying to limit Christopher’s contact with Buck, or use Buck as a behaviour method. He was trying for the opposite, in fact, with allowing Buck as much time as he needed. Eddie learned quickly that the one thing Christopher would behave for was Eddie’s best friend, and he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Which was probably why he was currently chaperoning a group of children around an aquarium. 

Christopher’s new favourite things were sea creatures, ocean life, and everything aquatic. He was thrilled when he brought home the permission slip, and his excitement only doubled when Buck came over with books about aquariums and all the creatures Christopher might see.

Eddie was trailing behind most of the students and chaperones. He had been working so often lately that he couldn’t remember the last time he and Christopher had a trip together. Granted, it was only thanks to the school, but Eddie was going to take anything that gave him more time with his son. 

Having not seen Christopher or Buck for a while, Eddie put on a little speed and rounded the corner, easily catching sight of them. Christopher was admiring the smaller sharks, pointing out various species to Buck, who was acting like he had never been to an aquarium before. Given what little Eddie had been able to pry out of him about his childhood, he probably hadn’t, and Eddie was glad he was able to have it now. 

The smile on Buck’s face was the one Eddie liked to call his _Christopher_ smile. It lit up his whole face, making something in his body want to relax. Every inch of him was focused on Christopher, and Eddie’s heart always did a stupid skip-jump thing whenever he saw it. Someone else loving his son that much, putting everything aside for his son, was something Eddie didn’t know how to come to terms with. 

Things with Shannon — they were weird and stressful and they had both made plenty of mistakes. Shannon loved Christopher, of that Eddie had no doubt, but she abandoned him. Eddie abandoned him. Buck had never done that. Sure, they had the lawsuit blip, but Buck had never willingly abandoned the kid and Eddie didn’t know what to do with that. 

Buck was consistent, caring. Eddie didn’t want to think the word _parent_ , but it came anyway. 

“I’m glad you could make it.” Alina Chavez was Christopher’s teacher and while she was young, she was kind and pragmatic. 

Eddie had only met her on a few occasions, but he liked her well enough. He nodded. “So am I. You helped, giving me enough warning that Captain Nash could wrangle the time.”

“Carter, don’t run please,” Alina said, raising her voice to chastise one of the students. “I’m glad your partner could come too. He was extremely upset he couldn’t make it to the school play.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows. He wasn’t aware Buck had been hoping to go, and realized a beat later why that was. Buck changed shifts so that Eddie could be the one to go and he rubbed at his chest. 

Alina looked confused. “Did I say something wrong? Is he not—”

“No, he is,” Eddie blurted out. He could feel the flush on his cheeks, and he made himself continue. “One of us had to work and Buck made sure it was me. This time, I convinced the captain to let us take it together.”

(What actually happened was:

“Buck put in a request. Is he going too?”

“He did? I don’t know, I didn’t even—”

“Do you two not have a conversation about anything important? I’m granting you both leave.”)

Christopher giggled, and Eddie looked up to see Buck swinging him up onto his shoulders so that Christopher could get a better look at the tanks overhead. Christopher leaned over Buck, hands on his face to say something, and Buck was smiling. Eddie could only see his profile, but he knew the way Buck’s eyes crinkled in the corners, the particular curve to his mouth. 

“That’s my family,” he said gently. 

Alina was already distracted, and drifting off to guide a couple of students down the tunnel and deeper into the aquarium. 

“Eddie? You coming?”

Christopher and Buck were both looking at him, grinning, and Eddie jogged to catch up with them. 

“You spoil him,” he muttered, elbowing Buck in the side. 

Buck stuck his tongue out, the child, and tilted his head back a little. “I don’t, do I, Chris?”

“No,” Christopher said, dragging the word out. 

They turned twin, ridiculous grins on him and he rolled his eyes. “Stop it, look at the sharks.”

“Sir, yes sir,” Buck snapped immediately, putting on the _Eddie was in the Army_ tone he used just to amuse Christopher. As predicted, Christopher giggled and Buck looked pleased with himself. 

Eddie jammed his hands in his pockets, trying to pretend he wasn’t as affected as he felt. “You two aren’t getting any ice cream after dinner.”

“Lies,” Buck said, at the same time Christopher wailed, “No!”

The sharks really did look pretty interesting, and Eddie smothered his laugh as he took a few steps forward, pretending he wasn’t going to cave the instant Buck and Christopher teamed up with their puppy dog eyes. 


	2. why are you naked

“Why are you naked?”

Buck looked over Eddie’s shoulder and laughed. “Oh, man, I forgot about that.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows as Buck snatched the photo from his hands and dropped onto the couch. Buck’s apartment was dark, mostly because Christopher was asleep upstairs and they were trying not to disturb him. Eddie had been trying to leave for the last hour and a half, but he couldn’t make himself go. 

“It was when I was in South America,” Buck said quietly.

That wasn’t new; Eddie knew about Buck’s stint working at bars. He took a seat at the other end of the couch. “Doesn’t explain why you’re naked.”

Laughing, Buck put the picture down on the couch next to him. He had his head against the back of the couch and met Eddie’s eyes slowly. “I’m there for a couple of weeks and get a job at this bar. The owner’s going through a rebrand.”

Eddie stretched out, legs on the coffee table. Buck narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything. Beer warming, Eddie wrinkled his nose and put it on the table next to his foot. “Name?”

“Yep,” Buck said. He scratched at the back of his head, cheeks going pink, and Eddie couldn’t look away. Buck was attractive anyway, but flushed, Eddie wanted to open his mouth to reassure him he had nothing to be embarrassed about. “It was going to be called Desenvainado.”

Shit. Eddie could see where the story was going, and Buck scrubbed a hand over his face, laughing awkwardly. “You Google translated, didn’t you?”

“I was new to Spanish,” Buck said defensively, but his cheeks were still dimpled and he was a little buzzed from alcohol, his eyes half-lidded as he smirked. “So anyway, Rico, he wants us all to come in the spirit of the theme.”

“Oh god,” Eddie groaned.

“Shut up,” Buck laughed, kicking out at Eddie’s calf. Eddie kicked back and the two of them had a brief foot battle before Buck tipped closer to Eddie. “So anyway, I think bare, right? Naked! Solved. Thought it was a bit weird for everyone to show up naked, but it’s a new country—”

“Buck.” Eddie put a hand over his face. 

Buck fell the rest of the way, forehead against Eddie’s shoulder. “I show up drunk and Rico can’t stop laughing for like, ten minutes. He snapped that picture and then told me it meant unsheathed — which was why everyone was sword themed.”

Eddie was laughing too hard to reply. He could picture it; Buck turning up with no clothes, everyone else wondering what the fuck was up. Though he should probably move away from that thought fairly quickly. Best not to dwell on what he can’t have. “You’re an idiot.”

“But,” Buck said, leaning back to poke Eddie in the shoulder, “I can now speak Spanish. Sometimes. When I’m not drunk.”

Buck frowned at the last, and Eddie grinned, though he could feel it soften as he kept staring. Buck was leaning against the couch, his hand on Eddie’s arm. Eddie felt comfortable; Chris was sleeping upstairs, Buck was leaning against him, and something in Eddie’s chest started to unfurl. He didn’t want it to — he wasn’t sure it would be good in the long run. 

“La desnudez luce bien en ti,” Eddie said quietly. 

“Okay, I know you said naked,” Buck started, his frown still more adorable than anything. “I looked up the proper word for naked. But I don’t know the rest. Good? So mean, talking Spanish when I’m kinda drunk.”

“You’re an idiota.” 

“Okay, that I know.” Buck affected a sad look and Eddie laughed. “So mean.”

“Come on,” Eddie said, leaning over to take Buck’s beer. “I’ll take the couch, you sleep on the other side of the bed.”

Buck was still pouting as Eddie helped him up the stairs. Eddie tried to ignore the fluttering in his chest as much as possible. Buck was a touchy drunk, and he kept a hand on Eddie’s arm as Eddie sat him on the edge of the bed. Buck looked over his shoulder, to where Christopher was dead to the world. “Eddie.”

Eddie winced. “Volume down, Buck.”

Buck rolled his eyes. “Shut up, asshole. I can take the couch.”

“Nope.” Eddie pointed at the bed. “Sleep, now.”

“Cool,” Buck said, already tipping sideways. 

Eddie watched him for a moment, before realizing how creepy he probably looked, and headed for the stairs. He paused. The sight of Buck and Christopher side by side, knowing they’d wake him up in the morning and want something Eddie would pretend to be offended to hear he couldn’t cook, was more than just appealing. 

Eddie wanted it every day. 

Well shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _La desnudez luce bien en ti_ \- Nudity is a good look for you
> 
> I google translated, buck, but i'm not turning up naked anywhere ;)


	3. please don't close your eyes

“You think he’s coming?”

Chim didn’t answer, he was too busy trying to keep Eddie’s blood inside his body. 

Eddie was lying on his front, shoulder aching, something heavy on his legs. He had almost cleared the house and kept out of trouble, but as he was heading for the exit, the floor gave way beneath him. They winched Chim down when Eddie hadn't answered his radio, and Eddie was sure they said something about not being able to move him without aid, but he checked out not long after.

“Eddie?”

There was a crackle of Eddie’s radio and he inched his hand over. 

“Stop moving,” Chim ground out. His hands were pressing too hard down against Eddie’s shoulder and he almost blacked out again. 

Eddie ignored him, thumb on the radio. “Buck?”

“Shit, Eddie,” Buck said, and he sounded weird. “We’re just figuring out how to get you up alright?”

“Cool.” Eddie grunted as Chim adjusted his hands and shouted something up the gap in the floor. Eddie wished he could turn to look — Buck was up there. “Don’t be slow.”

Buck laughed and then stopped talking. Eddie frowned, staring at the radio as if a glare would make Buck come back and talk to him. Chim was saying something and Eddie forced himself to tune back in. 

“—trapping his legs. Gonna need help down here, Cap.”

“—got it, Chim. Buck’s not—” 

Eddie didn’t know what Buck wasn't because he tried to move, felt pain flare through his shoulder and back, and had to breathe to keep from whiting out. 

“Eddie?” Buck. Buck was back. 

“M’here,” Eddie mumbled, and didn’t imagine the sigh Chim let out. Relief or irritation? 

“Idiota,” Buck said gently. “Gotta keep talking, man.”

“Don’t wanna,” Eddie said. He was tired and he really wanted to be at home in his bed. 

“You can, Eddie." Buck choked out the next words. "Please? If you stop talking, I’ll assume you’re conceding the argument.”

Eddie wanted to cry, but he focused on breathing. “Never gonna win.”

Buck laughed gently. “Eddie? We’re going to get you up.”

There was nothing Eddie could say to that. His shoulder was almost too painful to bear and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. That wasn’t good. He sighed, dropping his head back to the floor and Chim said something. Eddie couldn't be bothered to work out what.

There was a harsh yell and Eddie's head snapped back up at the voice. It wrenched his shoulder but Buck needed him to listen. “Eddie? Please don’t close your eyes!”

“M’not,” Eddie slurred, tilting his head to look at Chim. “Chim keeps pressing on me.”

It sounded like a whine, and Buck let out a strangled laugh. “Good. You keep those eyes open, Eddie, you hear me?”

“Uh-huh,” Eddie said, unable to do as Buck was asking. 

Chim said something else, a muttered curse, and Buck was shouting Eddie’s name. 

“Buck?”

“Yeah?” Buck sounded relieved. 

“S’a will in my kitchen.”

Silence. Eddie shivered, let out another yell when Chim shifted him a little. 

“Fuck you,” Buck said, voice raspy and broken. “Eddie, you’re not dying—”

Eddie whimpered as the weight on his legs moved, then seemed to lessen. 

“I know,” Chim said quietly. “They’re being as careful as they can.”

“Buck?”

“No,” Chim said, at the same time Buck said, “Yeah?”

Eddie didn’t know what to think. Buck sounded like he was on the radio, but neither Chim or Buck seemed to know where Buck was. That was weird, right? Probably why Eddie didn’t know where Buck was. “Buck.”

“I can’t, Eddie,” Buck said. What couldn’t he? 

Frowning, Eddie grunted in pain. “Will’s got you in it.”

“Fuck you,” Buck said and he was definitely crying. Eddie didn’t want that. “Stop it, Eddie.”

Eddie opened his mouth to say something else, but the weight on his legs released again and he yelled, pain ricocheting up his back and he could feel tears on his face, darkness creeping into his vision. Was this what it had been like for Buck, only worse?He could barely imagine. 

“Eddie? Eddie!” 

Eddie wanted to stay awake but he really, really couldn't.

Waking up was an exercise in pain management. Eddie’s legs ached and his shoulder was numb with pain. He grunted, shifting on a bed that was too hard. 

“Easy.”

Buck. Eddie managed to crack open an eye and he smiled gently. “Buck.”

Buck was staring at him, dark smudges under his eyes, but a relieved smile on his face. “You’re a dick, Eddie Diaz.”

Eddie was smiling too hard to say anything about being called a mean name. He was on very good drugs and Buck was here. “M’sorry.”

“I told you not to close your eyes,” Buck chastised, but his hand was on Eddie’s face and Eddie wasn’t going to mention it. He didn’t want Buck to move. “You did anyway.”

“I was injured,” Eddie protested, still tired. “Stay?”

“As if I’m leaving now,” Buck said quickly. “We still have to talk about this will nonsense.”

It wasn’t nonsense; Eddie needed to know that if anything did happen, that Chris would be taken care of. That Buck would know he was trusted and loved. Eddie would just have to tell him that when he woke up. 

“Sleep,” Buck said quietly, his thumb brushing Eddie’s cheekbone.

“‘Kay,” Eddie murmured. 

He could do that. He was safe. 


	4. you want to marry me?

Buck was lying on the couch when Eddie came in from work. 

Eddie wasn’t expecting him and almost jumped out of his skin when he sighed, turning to walk into the living room. Buck was stretched out, one arm dragging on the floor, head pillowed on the other. Leaning against the door, Eddie dropped his keys as quietly as he could onto the counter. There were a couple of plates drying on the draining board, and Christopher’s toys, while not completely picked up, had been placed in the corner out of the way. 

Abuela had been watching Christopher most of the week, so Eddie couldn’t think of a reason she would need to call Buck.

There was a note on the table. 

_ Nieto! Your Buck came over tonight for pizza and said he would wait for you to get home. I would have called but I know you trust him, carino, and left. Bring him for Sunday dinner! He can help me make the Diaz sauce. Love you, Nieto.  _

Eddie looked from the note, then up to Buck. There was a tight feeling in his chest and he swallowed past the lump in his throat. Buck was such a huge part of his life but he didn’t think his Abuela had taken to anyone so fast. He didn’t think she ever really liked Shannon. 

Buck shifted on the couch, groaning, throwing an arm over his face and Eddie rolled his eyes. 

“Rise and shine, Buckley,” he said, leaning over the back of the couch. 

“Too loud,” Buck whined, peeking out from under his arm. “Work okay?”

Eddie shrugged. It wasn’t anything really and he didn’t want to talk about it. “You’re making me uncomfortable just looking at you. Come on.”

Buck pulled his arm away and raised his eyebrows. “You taking me to bed, Diaz?”

Looking at Buck’s expression, the uncertainty, and thinking of abuelita’s letter, he dropped a hand to Buck’s hair, running his fingers through the soft, slightly longer than usual locks. “It’s big enough.”

Eddie watched Buck swallow, the bob of his throat, the way his tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip. “Eddie.”

“Don’t overthink it, Buck,” Eddie said quietly. “Just come upstairs.”

Buck nodded, a jerky motion as he swung his feet to the floor. He was still craning over his shoulder, looking surprised, apprehensive, and pleased in equal measure. Eddie gave him a reassuring smile and waited for Buck to lead the way upstairs. Eddie watched the line of his shoulders, the relaxed arch of his spine, and the way his shorts hung low on his hips. It wasn’t often that Eddie allowed himself the chance to look, to appreciate Buck. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but looking at Buck, taking something Buck wasn’t giving freely, felt wrong. At the top of the stairs, Buck hesitated on the landing, poking his head into Christopher’s room. Eddie was once again struck by how much Buck adored Chris, that he was always giving up his time, always appreciating Chris for no other reason than he wanted to. 

Eddie still didn’t know how to handle it sometimes. 

“He asleep?”

“Yeah,” Buck said quietly, hovering awkwardly in the doorway. 

Eddie tugged on his t-shirt, pulling him into the room. “Wash up, then get into the bed.” When Buck didn’t move, Eddie stepped into his space, giving Buck a small half-smile. “I said to stop overthinking it.”

Buck stared at him silently, nodding. His tongue darted out to lick at his bottom lip. “It was okay that I came over?”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, as Buck finally moved past him into the bathroom. Eddie leaned against the wall, taking in the spare toothbrush in the holder, Buck’s clothes in the hamper, and even one of his shirts tucked into Eddie’s closet. Something warm settled in Eddie’s chest when he thought about it. Buck was so much a part of his life, of Christopher’s. Saying something to Buck should have been so easy, but was the biggest hurdle Eddie had to face. “You know you’re always welcome here.”

There was a delay while Buck brushed his teeth, but as soon as he had done washing his face, he met Eddie’s gaze in the mirror and grinned. “Wasn’t sure Abuela was gonna let me in.”

“You kidding me?” Eddie moved easily past Buck into the bathroom. “I think Abuelita loves you more than me.”

Buck laughed. It was light and easy and Eddie smiled to himself as he went through his own pre-sleeping routine. He could hear Buck moving around in the bedroom and felt a little rush of anticipation at what was to follow. He and Buck hadn’t shared a bed properly; there were moments in the bunk room when they’d fallen face-first into the same bed, but that had been opportunity. Everything would be deliberate from the moment Eddie stepped out of the bathroom. 

“She invited you for Sunday dinner.”

“She did?” Buck looked surprised. 

“Is that hard to believe?” Eddie shut off the light to the bathroom and padded around to his side of the bed. “She adores you, Buck. Pretty sure she thinks you’d make a great husband for me someday.”

It was supposed to be a light comment, one that just slipped out, but Eddie watched Buck freeze, eyes wide and his mouth. 

“I mean,” Eddie started, only to be interrupted by Buck. 

“You’d want to marry me?”

Eddie frowned. Buck dropped his gaze to the duvet, but not before Eddie caught the flash of hope beneath a storming rage of uncertainty. As he climbed onto the bed, Eddie touched Buck’s chin and turned his face until they were looking at each other properly. “Buck, who wouldn’t?”

Buck shrugged. 

“Hey, no, don’t do that,” Eddie said gently. “Talk to me.”

“I just,” Buck started, shrugging again. He was tapping his finger against the comforter, biting at the inside of his cheek. Eddie reached out, took Buck’s hand in his. Buck’s grip was tight. “I’m not forever material.”

“Who the hell told you that?” Eddie swallowed when Buck flinched, but he just squeezed Buck’s hand gently. “Buck, who told you that?”

“Nobody,” Buck explained slowly, darting a look at Eddie’s face, then back to the comforter. “Abby left. Ali didn’t want to stick around because of my job. I’m not — I don’t know if I’m what anyone wants forever, you know?”

Eddie sighed. He wanted to let his anger take over and fuel his response, but Buck deserved better than a knee-jerk reaction. Hadn’t he thought himself not enough just a few months ago? Every day was a struggle and Eddie could imagine the various reasons Buck would think he wasn’t enough either. 

“I’d take you forever.”

Buck’s eyes widened, head snapping up so fast it made Eddie wince. Buck opened his mouth, closed it. 

“I know we’re not — that it’s slow—”

“Glacial,” Buck interjected with the first small smile Eddie had since he mentioned abuela. 

“—Glacial,” he amended with a roll of his eyes. “But you’re definitely my kind of forever.”

It took a moment, but Buck’s smile started to grow, and he leaned over, touching their foreheads together. There had always been a natural feel to their touching, however intimate it was. Eddie didn’t think twice about running a hand through Buck’s hair, touching the base of his spine, kissing his forehead. Everything with Buck was so easy and comfortable. It always had been. Why not this conversation?

“I always think I find it so hard to talk about my emotions,” Eddie said, putting his hand on the back of Buck’s neck and holding him there. Buck closed his eyes, squeezing Eddie’s other hand, perhaps in encouragement. “But with you, I can’t stop.”

“Good,” Buck said, and he touched Eddie’s cheek, thumb brushing beneath his eye. He paused, then sighed. “I’ll always hear it, Eddie.”

Eddie pulled back, stroking the hair at the nape of Buck’s neck. “So, Abuela’s on Sunday?”

Buck laughed, shaking his head and flopping back onto the bed. “Fine, but if she starts asking about marriage, I’m complaining you haven’t bought me a ring yet.”

“Figures,” Eddie said, mock-exasperated, and trying to ignore the flutter in his chest that  _ Buck _ and  _ marriage _ elicited. 


	5. you're a good liar

Eddie hated the stupid plastic chairs in the hospital. 

At some point, he was sure the staff would erect a special area just for the 118 — and name a ward after Buck. Shifting on the seat, Eddie winced at the twinge in his back, stretching out his legs in front of him. It was late, somewhere close to midnight the last time he’d looked, and he couldn’t remember when they’d arrived. Eight? Somewhere after nine?

“Eddie?” 

Eddie looked up. His eyes were starting to hurt. He needed to sleep, but he also needed to be here.

Maddie was cradling two cups of coffee in her hands, looking as exhausted as Eddie felt. He didn’t say anything as she sat next to him, handing over one of the coffees. Eddie was probably going to throw up if he tried to eat or drink anything, but he took it, resting it between his knees on the seat. 

“He’s going to be okay,” Eddie said, when it was clear Maddie wasn’t going to start the conversation.

Maddie gave him a wan smile. “Eventually.”

Eddie nodded, not able to find the words to reply. He ran a finger over the lid of the coffee cup. There was a nick in the plastic and he jammed his thumb nail underneath it, trying to make it bigger. A hand curled around his, pulling it away. 

“How are you doing?”

“I’m great. Worried about you,” Eddie said, smiling in a way he had perfected in the military. The last thing he had needed was fellow soldiers losing it in the field because of their injuries.

“You’re a good liar,” Maddie said quietly. She was staring at Eddie as if seeing him for the first time. “How are you really?”

Eddie opened his mouth to lie again, then swallowed. “Terrified.”

Maddie looked surprised. She hadn’t expected him to be truthful. “Eddie—” 

“I joke all the time about him giving me gray hairs every time we come here,” he continued, getting the words out before he couldn’t anymore. “I just don’t know how to do this when the feelings are—”

“More?” Maddie squeezed his hand. Her grip wasn’t as strong as Buck’s, her smile a different kind of beautiful. Buck’s was always so  _ much _ . 

There was long, tense silence. Maddie never let go of Eddie’s hand. 

“It’s a stupid car accident. Of all things, just a  _ car _ .”

“It’s never just a car,” Maddie said slowly. “It’s never  _ just _ anything when you’re in love with someone.”

The words were said with trepidation and Eddie met her gaze slowly. He and Buck hadn’t been hiding, they had just been doing things their own way. As much as he loved their friends, as much as Buck loved his sister, what happened between them was for them and nobody else. At least not until that moment. 

Eddie dug the nails of his free hand into his palm. “I’d trade everything I have — bar the obvious — to make sure he was okay.” 

“If you give up Christopher, he’s gonna be pissed,” Maddie said with a slow smile.

“I wouldn’t be allowed back in my own house,” Eddie said, with a roll of his eyes. 

There was a curious look on Maddie’s face. “He wasn’t lying then? He’s really not a guest in your house?”

Buck had told Eddie about it later that night, laughing that Maddie had told him to bring something, as though he didn’t spend more time at Eddie’s than his own apartment. 

“He has his lease until it’s up,” Eddie said, hoping Buck wouldn’t mind him telling her. “Then he’s all mine.”

Maddie didn’t say anything for a long time. Midnight became one, became two. A doctor appeared; Eddie was on edge, a lump in his throat he couldn’t swallow past, but Maddie kept him sitting, kept him focused. 

“He’s gonna be just fine,” the doctor said, and Eddie’s chest seemed to stop constricting. 

There was a knowing look on Maddie’s face when the doctor left, letting them know the room number and that they had a couple of minutes to see Buck. Eddie watched her silently. 

“I think he is going to be fine,” she said eventually. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”

“He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Eddie said, with more honesty than he’d ever felt. “To Christopher.”

There were tears in Maddie’s eyes when she stood, tugging on Eddie’s hand. “Come on. Let’s make sure he’s not faking.”

Eddie laughed, letting Maddie lead him towards Buck’s room, and towards a future that was looking more and more certain. 

Buck, Christopher,  _ love _ . 


End file.
